Tuesday, 27 January 2009

Colourful tableau of Assam and Tripura on 26 Jan

For many of us, the Republic Day of India might be one more day where we don’t have to drop in to our office, but if we go back to our school days, we remember the day held a very special status. It was marked with festivity all around, people distributing sweets to neighbours and strangers alike.

In those days where Doordarshan was the only television channel beaming the country’s hinterlands, the day was observed with much reverence, family members and neighbours sharing a singleton black and white set. Those days were indeed golden days of our life.

Life was simple and so were our demands. Like the present day, where we see security barricades that pops up in nook and cranny on this day, nothing as such was visible on this day earlier. Fear was nowhere in our psyche and in the environment.

Alas! Time has changed. Now, children don’t enjoy the day. They remain cocooned to the four walls of their home. We don’t take them out. Even we remain in the periphery of our surrounding. Time has cruelly changed!

And cruel is our teaching, we don’t know the importance of this day. We don’t know its significance – why we all Indians celebrate this day, what is the meaning of becoming a Republic nation etcetera question?

Those who have missed the Republic Day parade, here is a quick photo glimpse of this auspicious day. One can see the tableau of Assam and Tripura here.

Let us educate ourselves and teach our siblings about this day when India became Republic.